New Mexico

Ruidoso businesses struggle following fires and floods

Published

18 hours ago

August 8, 2024

Ruidoso businesses struggle following fires and floods

After weeks of devastating wildfires and floods in southern New Mexico, residents and business owners are trying to pick up the pieces and move on.

RUIDOSO, N.M. – After weeks of devastating wildfires and floods in southern New Mexico, residents and business owners are trying to pick up the pieces and move on.

It’s a hard task with the monsoon and ridiculously hot temps. It feels like that area just can’t catch a break.

As if all those troubles weren’t enough to overcome, businesses are now struggling to keep their doors open.

KOB 4 spoke with a business about the struggle to get make money. All the businesses we heard from say the same thing, they are open and ready for business. But they need people to come out and support them.

Employees at the Santa Fe Furniture and Gifts in Ruidoso Downs say they’ve noticed fewer tourists coming to town after the fires and the floods.

“It’s been a lot more, more dead. It’s not as many people have been coming through since the fires,” said Time Chavez, a Santa Fe Furniture and Gifts employee. “They’re (other businesses) afraid. Everybody is a little nervous, just kind of disheartened. I guess everybody’s just, they’re not sure on the eighth of town they’re going to pick back up again, or, well, what we’re going to.”

They say it seems like people don’t really know the area is back open, and it’s safe to return. Because of that, their summer season isn’t anywhere near as profitable as years past.

It’s causing business owners to start thinking of ways to save their stores, including cutting back hours.

This whole situation is also spurring some creativity. Since tourists are not shopping, businesses are asking locals to buy “Ruidoso Strong” merchandise.

“He sat down with us to kind of talk about things that we can do to maybe try and bring people in. We brought the ‘Ruidoso Strong’ T-shirts, which have been doing great. Just trying to find things that he’s definitely giving it a go to see if there’s things we can do to help business,” said Marissa Montoya, a Santa Fe Furniture and Gifts employee.

You don’t have to live in or drive down to Ruidoso to help those businesses, you can shop online too.

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New Mexico

NMSU Extension to participate in Family Engagement and Resource Fair in Lordsburg

Published

4 hours ago

August 8, 2024

Press Room

NMSU Extension to participate in Family Engagement and Resource Fair in Lordsburg

In partnership with the Substance Prevention Network and Hidalgo County Health Coalition, New Mexico State University Hidalgo County Cooperative Extension Service will facilitate a breakout session at the Family Engagement and Resource Fair in Lordsburg, New Mexico, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. This event is free and open to the public. The fair, which will be held at the Lordsburg High School commons area, 501 W. 4th St., Lordsburg, will provide community members with tools to help support children and teens.

The event will include guest speaker Brianna Skaarer, breakout sessions and resource tables.

“It has been great that the Substance Prevention Network and the Hidalgo Health Coalition asked Hidalgo County Extension and NMSU Extension specialists to collaborate for this program,” said Savannah Daniels, Hidalgo County Extension program director. “Extension has amazing programs and resources to make an impact in daily life for our communities. I hope that we can provide information to improve the quality of life.”

Breakout sessions will include topics on cybersafety from the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations; Narcan training from Hidalgo County Health Council; dangers of illicit fentanyl and social media drug trafficking from New Mexico National Guard and Joint Counter Drug Task Force; managing stress and building resilience from Karim Martinez, NMSU Extension family life and child development specialist; breaking generational habits from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; preventing drug use from Substance Prevention Network of Hidalgo County; and power of play from Laura Bittner, NMSU Extension health and wellbeing specialist.

“There are so many agencies working to make this a great event, I hope the families in our community take advantage of the opportunity,” said Joni Kerr, Substance Prevention Network coordinator.

Attendees of the event will receive door prize tickets at every breakout session they attend. Lunch will be provided to attendees. This event will also provide a kid activity room. To register or for more information, visit https://www.lmsed.org/article/1695820.

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New Mexico

Kira Miner: Scattered storms and strong winds Thursday

Published

11 hours ago

August 8, 2024

Press Room

Kira Miner: Scattered storms and strong winds Thursday

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New Mexico

Practice here without the law looking over your shoulder, New Mexico tells Texas doctors

Published

1 day ago

August 7, 2024

Press Room

Practice here without the law looking over your shoulder, New Mexico tells Texas doctors

The New Mexico Department of Health is recruiting Texas physicians with an ad campaign that targets the state’s strict abortion laws.

Full-page ads appeared in Sunday’s editions of five major newspapers in Texas, including the Star-Telegram.

The newspaper ads feature an open letter from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham inviting Texas physicians to “consider practicing next door in New Mexico” if they are frustrated by the Lone Star State’s abortion law.

Texas has one of the strictest laws in the nation — it bans most abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy.

The only exception is for conditions that threaten the life of the mother, though the Texas Medical Board declined to clarify in June exactly what conditions those are.

Fort Worth OB-GYN Andrea Palmer told the Star-Telegram in a June interview that she was concerned about a drain on women’s health care in Texas.

Palmer said that the “best and brightest” used to consider Texas a great place to continue their medical education and careers, but due to strict abortion laws, that’s no longer the case.

“Outside the need of abortion care, I think we’re going to end up with fewer OB-GYNs in the state over time,” Palmer said.

Applications to Texas OB-GYN residencies fell 16% for the 2023-24 cycle, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Applications across all specialties fell by 11.7%, according to the association.

New Mexico needs doctors: 32 of the state’s 33 counties were federally designated Healthcare Professional Shortage Areas in 2023, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

The state spent $400,000 on newspaper ads in Texas and for billboards near Texas Medical Center in Houston, according to Patrick Allen, New Mexico’s cabinet secretary for the Department of Health.

Allen said Texas was chosen because of its track record on abortion and its proximity to New Mexico. If the campaign is successful, Allen said, the department will consider expanding the campaign to other states.

“In New Mexico, you’re able to practice to the full extent of your medical judgment without worrying that a prosecutor or sheriff is looking over your shoulder second-guessing your health care judgment,” Allen said.

The advertisements contain the URL to a website, Free To Provide NM.

The website contains a database of medical jobs in New Mexico, as well as resources for medical licensing and links to lifestyle and education resources.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office hit back at Grisham in a statement after the ads’ release.

“People and businesses vote with their feet, and continually they are choosing to move to Texas more than any other state in the country. Governor Lujan Grisham should focus on her state’s rapidly declining population instead of political stunts,” officials with the governor’s office said.

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